Landmarc

When my Aunt and her daughter, Zoe, were in town from San Francisco, my sister and I couldn’t wait to meet them for brunch. They had suggested meeting at the Time Warmer Center, at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, the more sit-down version of the beloved Bouchon Bakery.

Unfortunately, the restaurant didn’t open until 11:30am, so we opted to relocate down the hall to Marc Murphy’s Landmarc. This restaurant has been on my list of places to try for months now, and I was extremely excited to try this meal with wonderful company.

The restaurant is a large, open space with bright windows contrasting the dark wooden decor. We were seated at a large, comfortable booth, looking out at the entire restaurant.

c/o NYEater

During breakfast, Leigh and I both ordered iced coffee to start, while glancing over the menu. I found the coffee to taste slightly watered down, and not as strong as I prefer my beverage of choice. Luckily, the quality of food made us quickly forget the lacking strength to our morning drink.

I decided to order the Duck Confit Hash, a favorite dish of mine. I have a weakness for a great hash, and duck happens to be my absolute favorite meat of choice, when prepared properly. The additions of sweet potatoes and eggs made this dish one for the books.

The picture does not do the delicious dish any justice. The flavors were spot on, with a beautiful combination of fresh vegetables, sweet potatoes and the light baked eggs with the runny yolk adding richness to the dish. The sweet potatoes stood out the most giving an unusual addition of flavor, where traditionally regular potatoes would have been used. But the real star, was the duck confit. Most pieces of duck fell off the bone after having been rendered down, leaving only moist and decadent pieces to be used in the hash. It’s my weakness, and there is a reason why. Pieces of the crackled skin adds layers of texture to an already complex dish. Little pieces of bread crumbs adds another layer of crunch, while wilted spinach gives a burst of freshness just when you begin to think the hash is too rich.

It’s a phenomenal version of a dish I love, and a reason why Landmarc is able to stay in business in the same building as Per Se. I would love to come back and splurge on a meal here for dinner, and hopefully that will be in the cards sometime soon. But for now, Landmarc has definitely won my vote through their interpretation of Duck Confit Hash and wonderful breakfast service.